Jack Draper was a teenager a couple of years back, one who had not considered the possibility that he might just be “not built for this tennis thing” after all. Nineteen years later, that 22-year-old British tennis sensation is front-page news again as he becomes the first Briton man to reach US Open singles semi-finals at Flushing Meadows since Andy Murray in 2012. Hence Draper’s epic rise to the top—aa tale of sheer determination and talent that simply refuses defeat.
Building a Champion: Draper’s Rise in Tennis Finally, Draper appears poised to fulfil that promise, having long been regarded as one of British tennis’s top prospects. The American will be vying to reach his maiden Grand Slam final on Friday when he faces No. 2 seed Carlos Alcaraz in the semi-finals following wins over Zhang Zhizhen, Facundo Diaz Acosta, Botic van de Zandschulp, Tomas Machac, and Australian 10th seed Alex de Minaur (sector winner DDraper00:onUniversity*/), FC:rlyosemite*. Competing for the eighth time in major qualifying draws, Haerteis went on to reach his first major quarterfinal, which then gave him a semi-final match against world no. 1 Jannik Sinner.
It is evident that Draper was a child prodigy. He first came to the attention of a wider audience by reaching the Wimbledon junior final as a 16-year-old in 2018. Mochizuki defeated tough competition like Lorenzo Musetti and Nicolas Mejia before dropping the matchup to Tseng Chun-hsin in the championship. Though he fell, it was clear that Draper had the makings of a potential star.
This year he announced himself at the top table after winning his maiden ATP title in Stuttgart back in June and becoming British number one. He announced himself even further at Queen’s Club, taking down defending Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz and ending the Spaniard’s 13-match winning streak on grass. And Draper’s confidence soon came to the fore as he calmly said after that match, “I trust my tennis, and I’m going to be a tough player.”
The Weapon: Draper’s Unorthodox System
There is a brutal tonne of power and sheer skilful play around hitting the ball with various minutiae at just that distance from 100 yards, like only a few percent can do since Draper’s style, constructed on this game. His 6’4″ frame also makes his serve a potent weapon. And even in the 60% that was on first serves, he’s won a healthy eighty percent of those points at this US Open. His right-handed backhand also conceals a not-disguised second forehand, which is quite heavy. The deadly combination makes him a hard nut for any player to crack on the circuit.
Game is not just power play for draper. From finishing points at the net to introducing a serve-and-volley game plan when it suits, he has proven that he is capable of rolling with which way the wind blows. Semblances of form in rallies wouldn’t suffice for Tim Henman, a six-time Grand Slam semi-finalist who so succinctly put it: “You look at the groundstroke, and both forehand and back were rock solid. He was not shy of closing the point at the net.
Against All Odds: A Story of Injuries and Self-Deprivation
Draper was plagued by injuries for a lot of his early career. For all his unquestionable talent, that body of his let him down just as often when needed most and sowed major questions about the longevity in the sport. That even Draper had started to doubt that tennis was his calling.
Finally, in 2024, Draper has succeeded. Not only has he done so while keeping in shape, but he has also shown that he can compete at the highest level. Draper has received praise from his Davis Cup teammate Andy Murray, who said, “Jack’s got the ability to go right to the top. He’s a player I was excited to watch, and he definitely has loads more in him.”
The making of a star: Draper’s US Open run
It’s quite an incredible journey for Draper to get this far in the US Open. He’s ploughed through with five wins in as many matches, never losing a set along the way and including toppling 10th seed Alex de Minaur earlier this week. Draper would hold his nerve—just about that final set was close until the end there!
Draper has displayed mental and physical toughness throughout the tournament. Draper did not lose his head even when De Minaur ended practice early because of injury concerns, seizing the momentpersonifying front-foot aggression with rare prescient awareness that it was there for him to seize. But his laser focus as well, combined with a big game that works on any surface.
Eyes on the Prize: Jannik Sinner Up Next
And now, Draper faces his most difficult challenge to date in the semi-finals against world number one Jannik Sinner. It will be the biggest test of his fledgling career so far, but Draper’s confidence is at an all-time high. This time, after all, he has already demonstrated the ability to go toe-to-toe with some of motorsport’s behemoths.
Draper realises the significance of his chance. Draper: “I’ve felt like I’ve been working hard for a while now and done the right things.“ I knew my time would come. I did not know when that was going to happen, but hopefully from here on out I can achieve a whole lot of great things. I’m very proud of myself.”
Read on to find out what lies ahead for Draper.
Draper is taking a big step towards the top 20 in the world by advancing to his first career quarterfinal, semi-final. The future is certainly bright for Liam, and it feels like this is only the beginning. Draper made no secret of his desire to go further than just the semifinals. He wants to go all the way.
His journey stands as an example of resiliency and faith. Already battling injuries, more doubts, and even stiffer competition sits in Drapers path at this point.
